Beekeeping booms but clubs fear hive health may suffer

Thousands of aspiring apiarists are swarming to amateur clubs around Australia, prompting some bee keeping societies to cap their numbers.

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council executive director Trevor Weatherhead said the increasing popularity could be attributed — in part — to the Flow Hive, an Australian invention that allows honey to be mechanically harvested without opening the hive.

The invention allows honey to be extracted without opening the hive, which raised concerns that some keepers were not properly monitoring for diseases such as American Fowlbrood.

Mr Weatherhead said disease was an ever present danger.

"That is a possibility if they're sitting out there and not looked after then they become a biosecurity threat and could spread disease — that's why we recommend they go and join the local bee club," he said.

Ms Knox agreed training was important.

"We try and educate people about how to look for these diseases, how to prevent them, and how to treat them," she said.

There are 20,801 registered beekeepers in Australia, managing 647,000 hives.